In My Mind
by happy-camper
Summary: Finished! Chapters 7 & 8 up! Is she dead or can she be saved?
1. Chapter One

_None of the characters or places belong to me, someone else owns them, I ain't making any money out of this!_

Something lurks deep in the sub levels of the centre…something that is now coming to the surface….

**In my Mind**

By Happy Camper

_Chapter One_

She had wandered into the hallway.  She knew she wasn't supposed to be out there, she'd get in trouble and…usually there were people out there…too many people.  She disliked people…especially the skeleton man, they had mean thoughts, about other people, about death and other projects but…she had sensed something stronger in the hallway so she had punched in the code to the door (courtesy of one of the sweeper's minds) and wandered out.  Something had been in the hallway, stronger than the hate and fear that lived down there…it was warm and happy and…soft, comforting.  Someone down there hoped, hoped for something better, hoped for things she had never heard of or seen herself.

It had grown stronger as she followed it.  The adults around her had ignored her, as she had wanted.  People didn't notice her if she wanted badly enough…as they went past they would see her but it would not occur to them that projects weren't allowed to wander around down here.  She wandered past doors and…she stopped, and saw it, the room, the evil place, the place where the skeleton man-Raines-did those things to people changed them, maybe it would be her turn one day.  She took a deep breath and a step forward.  The evil clung to the place, heavy in the air.  She heard screams long after those who had screamed them had died or…become something else altogether.  She focused on that feeling of hope and stepped in front of the door.  The feeling drew her from the door…further down the hallway, but something stronger…darker held her where she stood.  

The hope withered then.  Shrunk into a shell of what it had been, was destroyed when pain and hate grew stonger still.  She stood hypnotized in front of that door.  Staring into space, consumed by that hatred, she did not understand how one could hate so much…yet.  She barely flinched when the door opened, an anonymous, white coat passing.  And, as it swung their eyes met, her young questioning eyes met eyes so full of fear that they filled her with dread.

He was no more than twenty; he lay, twisted sideways on the bed, and held down to the metal table by surounding doctors.  Time seemed to slow as he stared back at her; she could sense his life leaving him.  She could sense things about him, he could sense her too and it was at that moment that something dark passed between them…not a physical thing or an innocent thought.  Something escaped his dying body and filled her mind, blocking all other thought…her mental shield broke; her thoughts ended returning to more primal instincts.  As the door shut, the man finally gave up to death.  As the door shut, she started to scream.

*****

Miss Parker swung the door inward and stepped inside her office.  She turned the light on and marched across to her desk.  She had barely sat when her phone began to ring.

"What?" she paused, "What Broots?  This had better be good…what…get the jet." she hung up, cutting him off.  She paused a moment, pinching the bridge of her nose.  She was getting a headache, and the day had only begun.  She briefly thought that maybe today would be the day; but she reasoned; Jarod would just be a ghost again.  _God I hate my life,_ she thought as she closed the door behind her.  

It should have been straightforward.  She would just stride as she always did out to her car and drive to the centre airstrip, it was barely a minute long drive; she did it all the time.

It had started to rain, that thick heavy rain that fell in sheets.  The windwipers on her car were at full speed.  She picked up the phone from the seat beside her, she wanted to ask Broots how long the rain would last and when they could take off.  As she glanced down at the seat, she didn't notice the figure, gostly white, wander along the side of the road, and in front of her car….

*****

"The girl is in a coma, they don't know if she'll wake up," he stated it simply.

Broots looked down at his hands.

"Uh…how is uh Miss Parker taking it?"

"They rushed her off before I could talk to her, you know they had to make sure she wasn't hurt."  Sydney took the seat beside Broots as he said this.  He matched Broot's position, staring at his hands.

"She looks so young, god, I can't believe this, what was she doing outside in that weather?"

"I don't know."  Sydney replied, "I wonder how she got out."

"Got out?"

"She was a project, one of Raines'."

Broots was silent.  He had seen the young girl; she was barely older than Debbie….

Mr. Parker strode into the infirmary then, his brow wrinkled into a frown.  He spoke quietly to the receptionist, too quietly for Broots to hear what was being said.  Broots was almost surprised to see the chairman down in the infirmary, even if his daughter had just been involved in a car accident.  Broots sat lost in thought, staring at the back of Mr. Parker's head.  He physically jumped when Mr. Parker turned around to look in his direction.  

"Sydney, what are you doing here?"  He snapped.  Sydney stood up and stepped towards him.

"Mr. Parker, Broots and I were supposed to meet your daughter at the airstrip…a lead on Jarod, I…."

"Jarod?" Mr. Parker cut him off, "Well what are you two still doing here?  Take a sweeper team and go get him!"  

Sydney stood frozen for a moment, aware of Broots looking back and forth between himself and Mr. Parker.

"Yes sir." He said simply and turning to glance at Broots, walked towards the elevator.  Broots scurried after him.

*****

It had been two days since the accident.  The lead on Jarod had led them on a fruitless search of a motel where Jarod had been staying.  Broots was beginning to wonder what had happened to Miss Parker.  He had been told that she was being kept in the infirmary for observation yet they would not let him visit her.  When Broots had asked Sydney if anything was going on, he had received a cryptic reply, which suggested that Sydney was looking in to the matter.

He woulndn't admitted it but he was worried about her.  He had barely been able to work without worrying about Miss Parker.  It was suspicious, but then again, everything in The Centre was suspicious if looked at in a certain way.  His train of thought was interupted by Sydney's entrance.

"Come on Broots, they're going to let us see her." He said, already turning to leave.  Broots stared a second, then jumped up and ran after him.

*****

Her dark hair lay across the pillow, a contrast to the white pillow and her pale face.  Tubes snaked across the white sheets into her arms, connecting her to various machines.  Broots stood silently as he watched Sydney sit beside her.

"She's in a coma, they think." Sydney said, resting his hand on the edge of the bed, not daring to take her hand in his own…there was always someone watching.

"They think?" 

" Well, they're monitoring her and…doing everything that they can for her." Sydney simply stated, turning back to Miss Parker.  Broots looked at him silently.  Sydney had been doing that a lot lately…not answering his questions, changing the subject.  He no doubt had his reasons, but Broots wondered what they were.

*****

"This is Sydney."

"Hello Sydney."

"Jarod! How are you?"

"Where is she Syd?"

"Miss Parker?"

"She hasn't been back to her house in three days."

"She had an accident Jarod."

"What, is she okay?"

"Jarod, she…there's something wrong, she got out of the car and went to help the girl…."

"What girl?"

"The one that she hit with her car."

"So she's okay?"

"That's just it, she's not okay…she, she won't wake up and…."

"A coma?"

"They've been monitoring her brainwaves and…there are some…abnormalities."

"What do you mean?"

"The girl she hit…I don't know much, but I do know that she was one of Raine's more…promising projects.  As far as I know she had unusual…abilities."

"So she did something to Miss Parker?" Jarod cut him off, his concern for Miss Parker evident in his voice.

"Look, I managed to get her file, I'm e-mailing you the relevant section now."

"Thanks Syd…oh and Syd?"

"Yes Jarod?"

"…Nothing…I'll contact you again."  There was a click and a tone, and Sydney hung up.  What was Jarod going to do?  Sydney had no idea, but he knew that Miss Parker was in good hands.

*****

Jarod sat in silence after hanging up on Sydney.  None of this made any sense, Miss Parker was hurt and that was all that mattered.  He opened his e-mail and found the e-mail from Sydney.  There were about five pages of hand written notes.  The date at the top of each page was 23rd July 2000.  Jarod didn't recognise the handwriting but he did recognise Sydney's note at one paragraph.  "Important", with a little arrow pointing to the text.  

"…. Subject was found in hallway.  The sweeper involved in the incident was reprimanded and moved to a lower security project.  Subject has been unresponsive since the incident.  Brainwave monotoring has revealed different pattern than original abnormality that indicated subject's abilities.  Perhaps it is just coincidence but subject was recovered outside room housing project 34972b which was recently terminated due to the subject entering a state similar to present subject's unresponsive state…"

Jarod frowned at the screen, confused.  What was he dealing with?  Jarod shut down his laptop; hurredly threw his few possesions into his bag and headed to reception to check out of the hotel.  If Miss Parker was hurt…was in danger, then he had to do something.  Jarod began planning what to do next as he absent mindedly handed in his key and left the hotel, heading for his car.  

To be continued….

Please Review! Please! Please? 


	2. Chapter Two

Okay, I know I haven't gotten any reviews and I can't say that doesn't bother me even a little.  However, I will continue to write this for myself (I hate not finishing stuff) and I do intend to finish it.  I don't know if anyone has even read this but there, I said it.

Oh I forgot to say this but this is my first posted fan fiction…ever.  I write a lot of these for my personal enjoyment but this is my first published piece! (All the more reason to review!)

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_None of the characters or places belong to me, someone else owns them, I ain't making any money out of this!_

**In my Mind**

By Happy Camper

_Chapter Two_

The Centre- 14th June 2000

The girl sat in the middle of the empty room.  The only furniture was the chair she sat on.  She was aware of the people behind the one-way glass, however she did not look up at them.  Skeleton man was there.  He was the one who had first come to her in this room. Told her that everything would be all right.  She had been crying, she wanted her parents.

"Where's my mom? I want my mom!" she had screamed at him.  She stared at him, she began searching for the answers she wanted in his mind.  He had grinned maliciously at her as he realised what she was doing.

"Your mummy and daddy are dead little girl", he wheezed, and when she realised it was true broke eye contact with him.  A fresh wave of tears came over her.

She cried for days.  She would never do any of the things that they wanted her to do; she had promised mom that she would never hurt anyone with those gifts that made her special.

*****

The Centre- Present day

                Sydney had been waiting by the phone for news from Jarod.  He had been researching the girl's history at the Centre.  It turned out that she had been at the centre for 3 years now and that since the 23rd July 2000, she had been sitting in her room, unresponsive.  Sydney wondered about what had caused it, could it have been one of Raines' experiments gone wrong?  Research into project 34972b had revealed something interesting.  Project 34972b was a young man with aparent psychic abilities.  The project was terminated the day that the girl had…changed.  'Terminated' was just a clinical way of saying that the young man had been killed when his usefulness had run out to Raines.  The young man had been in a state similar to the girl's…unresponsive.

                Sydney was jolted out of his train of thought by the ringing of the telephone.

                "This is Sydney"

                "Hi…how is she?", it was Jarod, the concern evident in his voice.

                "She still hasn't woken up…you know, this same thing happened to the girl…she um, woke up after about a week but she wasn't the same…."

                "I know Sydney…I've been following this thing whatever it is, it moves…from person to person."

                "Have you…traced it outside the Centre?"

                "Yes…including Miss Parker, there were four inside the Centre."

                "Are they….", Sydney began.

                "The other two are dead…the one before the girl was um…killed by the people at the centre."

                "The um…first man in the Centre died of a brain tumour.  I think that's what happens when you stay like this for so long…."

                "Sick?" Sydney suggested.

                "No Syd…not sick", Jarod replied with a sigh, "It's something else, the victims are connected…they all have some psychic ability."

                "So that's why…."

                "Yeah Syd…whatever it is moves from person to person, it seems to stay longest in people with more ability."

                "Jarod, she's a fighter…."

                "I know." And with that Jarod hung up the phone.  Jarod looked down at the phone in his hand.  Whatever he was dealing with, he couldn't fight.  He couldn't pretend anything that would save her.  Jarod hadn't told Sydney about the tiny ray of hope.  This tiny ray of hope was called George White and he was a janitor at the Centre.  If Jarod was right, George connected the Centre with the outside.  George's son had died of a brain tumour several years ago, and a note on his personell file had pointed out that he may possess extremely low empathic abilities, too low to interest the Centre…but possibly high enough to carry this thing in to work with him.  

*****

                George White got up and got dressed as he did every morning.  He half smiled at the picture beside his bed.  The picture showed him, his wife and son together.  After Mathew had died his marriage had fallen apart…actually it had started to fall apart long before that, probably about the time that Mattew had been addmitted to the psychiatric hospital.  He walked slowly into the kitchen and opened the box of pop tarts standing on the counter.  He turned around and dropped the box in fright.  

                There was a strange man standing in his apartment.

                "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you, my name is Jarod." 

                "So are you here to rob me or what?", George asked, staring at the stranger, unsure of how to react.  Jarod half smiled.

                "Look, um, I need to ask you something…."

                "You had to break in to ask me?", gasped George, picking up the pop tarts and edging away from the stranger.

                "We need to talk." Jarod stated simply.

*****

                Broots crashed into two people in his rush to get to Sydney's office.

                "Sydney…." He wheezed, out of breath.

                "What is it Broots?", asked Sydney, looking up from his papers.

                "I was…I was…."Broots gasped, holding a stitch in his side.  Sydney led him to the couch.  Broots took a deep breath and began:

                "I was trying to find out about the girl that Miss Parker knocked over, like you asked me to.  Well, I found the security footage of her leaving…but um, she didn't sneak out.  Someone _let_ her out."

                "Broots…what do you mean?  Who?"

                "Maybe you should see the security footage for yourself."

*****

                "I'm sorry…but why should I tell you anything…you broke into my apartment."  George mumbled, looking Jarod up and down.  This guy looked familiar, he was sure that he had seen him somewhere before.

                "Look, whatever happened to your son, it happened to other people and most of them are dead."

                "You mean his illness…." George began.

                "If you could call it that."

                "What do you know about my son?  Do you have some explaination of why a young man should just stop talking all of a sudden and…. and then…develop a brain tumour for no reason at all?"  George nearly spat these last words.  He felt a lump in his throat, half saddness, half anger over this stranger…what right had he to come here and start talking about his dead son?

                "Something happened to you when your son died didn't it?  They made you see a counsellor, didn't they, you lied, you told them another reason why you didn't talk for a whole week after your son died…."

                "Shut up!  I gave up okay? I gave in…that thing that killed my son I wanted it to kill me too…I hoped it would.  Have you ever felt like that?  Have you ever wanted to die so much that you gave up control?"

                "Something was controlling you?" Jarod asked, shocked.

                "Yes", he barely whispered. "And I let it, I let it make me go to work and go down to the basement levels that I wasn't cleared to go to and grab hold of a young man and stare into his frightened eyes…and it left me."  George stopped and looked at Jarod.  "Does that make me a monster, letting it take the other guy instead of me…he's probably dead…."

                "Yes, he's dead…brain tumour."

                "Please leave…I have to go to work.", George sniffed as he wandered over to the couch and sank down onto it, and Jarod left without a word.

Oh come on…will someone Review?…Please?


	3. Chapter Three

Yay! I got reviews! Thank you to those of you who reviewed! (I can't believe someone is reading)  I was smiling so much I looked like I had an upside-down coat hanger in my mouth!

To clarify, both the girl and Miss Parker are in comas and both in the Centre.  More will be revealed!

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_None of the characters or places belong to me, someone else owns them, I ain't making any money out of this!_

**In my Mind**

By Happy Camper

Chapter Three 

As Jarod drove from George White's apartment, he began to think about what George had said.  He had spoken about this thing as if it were a person…was he simply personifying his disorder…or was it a thing?  Some supernatural thing….  Jarod shook his head…it wasn't possible…was it?  This thing it only affected people with psychic abilities…George's son must have inherited some of his father's abilities.  The one question bothering Jarod was why George had survived, it just left him, alive, and went on to kill another two people, possibly another three if the little girl didn't wake up….

He would call Sydney again for news of Miss Parker…He had been calling every few hours since this had happened.  Jarod frowned to himself…he felt like he had all the information he was going to get, he just had to piece it all together.

*****

"This is Sydney"

"Hi Sydney…any news?" Jarod asked.

"Jarod…no, she's not awake yet, do you have any idea of what's wrong with her?  The Centre doctors won't let me see her medical files, I think they don't know what's wrong with her either."

"Sydney…."Jarod began, "What if I told you that this was something…supernatural."

"Jarod…what are you talking about?" asked Sydney in confusion.

"Whatever this thing is it only affects psychics.  I think it's living in them…feeding off their psychic energy."

"Like some sort of parasite?" suggested Sydney.

"Exactly.  It fights for control, but…um…it only succeeds when the person gives up control."  _Like George did_ thought Jarod as he waited for Sydney's reaction to this.

"Jarod this is a little hard to handle…."

"Look, it's some sort of supernatural parasite, it lives in a persons mind, the more powerful the better, and the only reason it goes into a person with less psychic ability is if it kills its host."

"Jarod the brain tumours…listen, I have to tell you something, the girl…she didn't escape."

"What?"

"Look I'll send you the footage that Broots found…I don't know what it means yet but…you have to see this."

                Jarod hung up and sat staring out of the car's windshield for a good ten minutes, thinking about what they had uncovered."

*****

                Raines walked into the room housing the girl.  She sat there as she always did, staring at the opposite wall.  Today there was movement though, a look aof concentration on her face.  Raines stepped towards her and sat on the edge of the bed beside her.  He unhooked the IV from her arm, stood and helped her to her feet.  She was unsteady, her muscles atrophied from the lack of movement.  Raines slowly brought her to the door and out into the hallway.  Her eyes were staring, never blinking.  He locked the door behind them.

*****

                Sydney's phone rang not long after Jarod had called.  Part of him hoped it was Jarod; maybe he was going to explain what he had been talking about.  It was Broots.  Broots had been talking to him every five minutes it seemed. He really did care about Miss Parker.

                "Uh Sydney?"

                "Yes Broots?"

                "Um sorry to bother you but I um…got access to that little girl's medical records."

                "And?"

                "Sydney, I hope that whatever is wrong with her that the same thing didn't happen to Miss Parker."  This made Sydney sit up.

                "What is it? What's wrong with her Broots?"

                "She um…has a brain tumour…She's brain-dead Sydney.  God she's barely older than Debbie."

                "Yes…I…had a feeling this would happen.  Look…Miss Parker is going to be alright." And he hung up, praying that he had not just lied to Broots and to himself.

To be continued….

Sorry this chapter is so short (was kinda busy) Next chapter soon, I promise!


	4. Chapter Four

Thank you again to everybody who reviewed! (Thanks to Catherine for that tip with the check box!)  Ooh and I'm on a favourites list. (If I could, I'd probably be cartwheeling around the room but the rooms too small and I can't cart wheel!)

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_None of the characters or places belong to me, someone else owns them, I ain't making any money out of this!_

**In my Mind**

By Happy Camper

Chapter Four 

Broots sat with his head leaning in his hand.  He was staring at a small burn mark on the desk, where Miss Parker had long ago dropped a cigarette butt.  He chewed his lip, deep in thought.  Sydney had neglected to tell him anything.  The usual story, _I'm looking into it_ or _I'll get back to you_. 

                Miss Parker had not woken up yet.  He had gone down to the Centre infirmary in the hopes that they would let him see her again.  No use, they just turned him away.  He wondered if Jarod was helping Sydney. _Of course he is_, Broots thought to himself, and if Jarod was helping surely he would find a cure for whatever was wrong with Miss Parker.

Broots was also worried about Sydney.  After he had found that security footage of Raines taking the little girl away he was worried that Sydney might ask Raines about it.  If just looking at Raines was scary…what would happen if Sydney confronted him about it?  Broots shook this thought from his head and went back to staring at that burn mark and worrying about Miss Parker.  It seemed like all he did these days was worry.

*****

                A couple of miles away, in a cheap hotel not far from the Centre, Jarod lay on the cheap hotel bed, staring at the peeling paint on the ceiling.  There were no books he could read, noone he could become.  Jarod had hit a wall in his search for a cure to whatever this was.  _The only reason it will leave her_, he thought _is if she's dead…or if there is someone more powerful to go to_.  He wasn't sure how long she could stay like this without causing permanent damage.  George had been okay for over a week with this thing in him (controlling him?), maybe Miss Parker would be okay if they could get this thing out of her.

                Jarod didn't know how powerful Miss Parker's abilitites were…how could he find someone more powerful than her if he didn't know, and if he did, could he sacrifice another for her?  Unless he sacrificed the dead…if Miss Parker was dying, this thing would just jump to the nearest _living_ psychic, wouldn't it?  Jarod jumped up and ran to get his phone; he had to call Sydney.

*****

                Raines collapsed into the chair behind his desk, resting the handle of the oxygen tank against the metal leg of the table.  He was in a foul mood as usual and one of his computer technicians had just told him that he'd found someone looking through materials related to one of Raines' projects.  He had an idea of which project before he even opened the paper folder containing the technician's report.  Someone had seen the footage of him bringing the girl out of the Centre.  This made him angry…someone had been snooping around and now he would have to explain.  

Raines had always been quite proud of the level to which he could resist some of the subject's mind control.  Raines had even managed to, on the odd occasion, resist a subject who had not been injected with the psychic inhibitor that he himself had developed.

That a subject had manipulated him to such a degree was the most embarassing thing that had ever happened to him.  He had known what he was doing of course, but the part of him that would usually stop him from doing something like that seemed not to care.  At the time he didn't feel that it was important that after so long the girl was not only moving but also using her mental powers on him.  It had almost felt nice; who _cared_ if he didn't want her to leave, who _cared_ that one of the docters studying her had found abnormal brain patterns and who _cared_ that she had control instead of him?  Raines could never let this get out; he had a reputation to uphold.

*****

"Sydney, I have to see her."

"Jarod, they won't let me or Broots see her, do you have any idea of what kind of security she's under?"

"I know but I have an idea…."

"Jarod?  Do you know how we can help her?"

"Kinda…look, this thing stays in a person until it kills them, unless it either finds someone more powerful to live in by chance or it gains control and goes looking for someone more powerful to live in."

"Jarod", began Sydney, "How did you find all this out?"

"It doesn't matter…. so the only way we can get this thing out of Miss Parker is if it gets a better offer."

"Jarod, do you mean we'd have to sacrifice another person if we want Miss Parker back?"

"Yes…but, just answer me something…the little girl, is she brain dead?"

"Yes."

"Then we don't need to sacrifice the living." 

To be continued….


	5. Chapter Five

Okay I'm sorry I took so long with this chapter but I wanted it to be really good.  I'm writing slowly too (don't want to write myself into a corner!)

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_None of the characters or places belong to me, someone else owns them, I ain't making any money out of this!_

**In my Mind**

By Happy Camper

Chapter Five 

"Do you think it will work?" asked Broots, nervously looking over his shoulder, as he and Sydney entered the infirmary.  The receptionist stood up.

"Sir, I've already told you, Miss Parker is in isolation."  Broots blushed as Sydney looked at him.

"No Miss," began Sydney, "We're here to see project uh…" Sydney glanced at the paper folder he was carrying, "77895a."  The receptionist looked at them suspiciously and then checked something on the computer.

"Well the restriction has been lifted on her…they're going to turn off the life support as soon as Dr. Raines gives the go ahead…I suppose it would be alright…down the hall, fifth door on the right."  Sydney nodded and dragged Broots down the hallway.  Neither of them could believe how easy that had been.

                Broots didn't like the infirmary; actually he didn't like hospitals very much.  He'd been down here every day since the accident, even after they stopped letting them visit Miss Parker.  Maybe it was the smell of disinfectant or the thought of all the diseases in the air (he'd seen a documentary on super bugs in hospitals and had vowed never to go to a hospital again unless it was absolutely necessary) but something about hospitals gave him the creeps.

                Sydney stopped by a door and slowly turned the handle.  They entered closing the door behind them.

*****

                Jarod was pacing up and down his hotel room.  This wasn't like him…putting a plan into action without working all the bugs out first.  He had decided that they would have to do it in the Centre.  The thought of what they were going to do to Miss Parker made him a bit ill.  That strange feeling that came over him whenever he remembered what had happened that Halloween was back.  He knew what it was like to die…he wouldn't wish that upon anyone else…unless they deserved it.

                He hated not knowing his opponent, but then again, he still knew what would happen next…unless he intervened.  If he was right about the girl…if he had assumed correctly…then maybe it would be possible.

*****

                "She looks like she's just asleep…and she's going to wake up at any moment…."

                "She's dead Broots…remember that and if we don't do something, Miss Parker will be too."  Broots nodded as he looked at the little girl.  There was a tube down her throat and machines in the room made strange noises.  _The machines just make her seem alive_, thought Broots to himself, more trying to convince himself that this would all be okay than anything else.

                Sydney had made a beeline for the low, two-drawer filing cabinet in the corner.

                "They keep the medical files that the doctors need access to for each patient in the rooms."  Whispered Sydney as he began searching for the information they needed.  Broots didn't dare say a word.  The sight of the little girl had upset him.  What about _her_?  Did she have a family out there?  Maybe they were wondering where their daughter was right now.  Sydney had found something that interested him and he carefully tucked it into the paper folder that they had entered with.

                "They're pulling the plug tomorrow, we don't have much time."

                "Sydney!" hissed Broots, "Not in front of her…. look, I know she's brain-dead but it just isn't right…she's just a little girl…someones little girl."

                "I know Broots…I…I'm sorry."  Sydney tucked the folder under his arm and led Broots from the infirmary.  Something about this girl had struck a nerve with Broots and he thought he knew why.  The girl reminded Broots of his own daughter._  He just wants to protect her_, he told himself and made a mental note to make sure that Broots wasn't present when they put that thing from Miss Parker back in her.  

*****

                Jarod packed his bag.  He packed the things he would need into a plain black bag.  They were going to do it tonight…they couldn't wait any longer for fear that Miss Parker might suffer serious injury.  Jarod wondered if it would work…everything that they knew about this thing indicated that it would but he was still worried.

                Sydney was going to find the printout of the CAT scan the Centre would have run on the girl.  Jarod just needed to see the CAT scan to see if it would work.  He would know if the damage that the tumour had caused was too severe or not.  Jarod zipped the bag shut and hoisted it onto his shoulder.  It was time to see Sydney….

*****

                "See…this is the tumour." Said Jarod, indicating a dark shadow on the image of the girl's brain. "Look, it's not in the part usually associated with psychic ability…."

                "So?" asked Sydney, looking back over his shoulder.

                "She's still giving off psychic energy." Jarod said.  They  had met in a cheap restaurant and they sat in a dark booth at the back.  Sydney kept glancing over his shoulder.

                "Sydney," began Jarod, "I have to go back to do this."

                "I know."

                "You have to get things ready in the Centre okay…we'll need these drugs."  Jarod handed Sydney a list of different drugs.

                "What's this?" asked Sydney indicating a name he didn't recognise.

                "It was Raines'…he was trying to develop a way of enhancing psychic ability through drugs but this is as near as he came.  You should be able to find some of it in the Centre store rooms"

                "Does it work?"

                "Not in the way he wanted…it just amplifies the pschic energy already being produced but doesn't make them any more powerful."

                "So it will make the girl more…inviting?"

                "Yeah…look I have to go…will Broots come through with his job?"  Jarod asked.  Sydney nodded and Jarod got up to leave.  In a few hours Miss Parker would either be alright or doomed.  

To be continued….

Please review!  I'll probably be finshed within the next two or three chapters!


	6. Chapter Six

Sorry for the long wait but his fic is coming to an end!  Will they save Miss Parker?….

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_None of the characters or places belong to me, someone else owns them, I ain't making any money out of this!_

**In my Mind**

By Happy Camper

Chapter Six 

Broots finished feeding loops into all the cameras in the infirmary and sat back for a moment to admire his handywork.  Sydney had not told him everything, _As usual_ he thought bitterly.  He figured that they were going to take Miss Parker out of the Centre or something._  Nobody ever tells me anything,_ he thought as he picked up the phone to tell Sydney that the surveillence system should no longer be a problem.

Sydney hung up on him the moment the word 'done' had come from his mouth.  Broots was supposed to hang around up here and make sure that noone realised that the cameras were down in the infirmary, but Broots was confident in his work…noone would realise that the cameras were off until he wanted them to.  So Broots stood up and headed to the infirmary.

*****

Sydney was standing just beyond the infirmary reception.  There was one nurse on duty this late at night.  His heart was racing as he snuck along the shadowed hallway.  _I feel like a secret agent or something_, he thought as he pressed his back against the wall.  Right on cue the phone at reception rang…Jarod.  The receptionist was talking…making a noise that sounded like 'uh-huh' and he heard her leave the desk.

He crept past the reception desk…all the lights, except for the one above the reception desk were off.  He hurried down the hallway until he came to the place where the two security guards lay unconscious.  The door to the room was ajar.  Sydney nudged the door open.  It was dark…he could just make out a pair of eyes.  He reached against the wall, groping for the light switch.

The sudden brightness blinded him.  Then he saw her…sitting, staring ahead.  She didn't even blink.  Miss Parker was propped up in the bed, several pillows holding her up.  She had a sort of glazed look about her…like she was sort of surprised.  _Where's Jarod?  _Thought Sydney, glancing around the room.  It was unnerving, her just sitting there.  If she had followed the same pattern as the others, she had been like this for several days.  Did none of them suspect what was wrong?

The sudden sound of a bolt scraping shut in the hallway made him jump, and then Jarod was there.  They both smiled weakly at each other and gave each other half-hearted hugs.  Jarod began unlocking the brakes on Miss Parker's bed and they wheeled her bed out in silence.

*****

Broots looked up at the lit numbers above the elevator door.  He had decided that he would go down to the infirmary.  _I'm sure I can be some help_, he thought.  The door of the lift slid open.  Broots nearly fainted before pulling himself together and stepping in to the lift.  Raines and the sweeper in the lift looked him up and down suspiciously.  _They know, they know!_ Broots thought frantically.  He could feel himself sweating.  The lift seemed too small.  _Why are they staring at me like that?_ He thought, before he sank down to the floor and passed out.

The sweeper imediateley knelt at his side.

"I think he fainted sir."

"…Well pick him up, we better get him to the infirmary," wheezed Raines.

*****

Sydney stood, silently watching Jarod work.  They had set up in the main ER area of the infirmary.  The two beds were next to each other.  Jarod had emptied the contents of the bag Sydney had brought.  Several small bottles of different drugs were lined up on the table.  Jarod picked up and empty syringe, ripping the paper off a needle, he looked up at Sydney.

"Here goes."

Jarod drew the clear liquid into the syringe.  He tapped out the air bubbles and injected it into the girl's arm.

"What now?" asked Sydney.

"We wait."

*****

Raines led the way to the infirmary.  He was in a bad mood.  He was busy…he didn't have the time for this.  He should have just sent the sweeper…but he needed the sweeper.   They reached the large double doors with the sign 'Infirmary' above them.  Raines pushed…the door wouldn't budge.

"These doors are kind of heavy…allow me." offered the sweeper.  Shifting Broots' weight in his arms, the Sweeper leaned his shoulder against the door.  Nothing.  The doors were bolted shut…from the inside.

"What is this? The infirmary never closes", wheezed Raines angrily, "Go find the nurse on duty."

The sweeper lay Broots carefully down on the floor and hurried off.  Raines sneered down on the man lying prone on the floor.  It was a good thing he had come.  It would be terrible if anything happened in that infirmary…some of his subjects were in there.

*****

"It's been ten minutes," said Jarod looking at his watch, "The effects should be as powerful as they're ever going to be."

Sydney nodded and looked at the girl.  They had injected her with Raines' failed psychic drug.  If Jarod was right, the girl would be giving off a strong signal that this thing in Miss Parker wouldn't be able to refuse.  Jarod looked down at the bottle in his hand and took a deep breath.  _I can do this._

"Jarod? Are you okay?"

"Yeah Syd…I have to do this." 

Sydney nodded and watched Jarod take Miss Parker's arm in his hand and once again look at the needle in his hand.  Jarod looked at Miss Parker's blank face and finally he pushed the needle under her skin and pushed the plunger down.

"Jarod…."

They looked at each other for a moment.  Jarod turned the volume on the heart monitor up.  Bleep…bleep…bleep…bleep…nothing.

"Quick!" cried Jarod racing up to Miss Parker.  Fumbling with a needle he injected her again and went about resucitating her. 

*****

"Sir…." Panted the sweeper.

"Well?"

"I found the nurse sir."

"Where is she?"

"Unconsious sir…in a closet down the hall."  Raines stood staring at the sweeper for a moment before pulling his phone out and calling one of his computer technicians.

"Well…it looks as though someone has fed a loop into the cameras for that section of the building…it will take me a while to get them back."

"Not good enough." Snapped Raines.

"Well…if I reset the cameras the feed would come back…but I'd have to cut the power to the whole infirmary…and um…it would be a full 2 minutes until the generator kicked in…."

"What's the problem?"

"Uh sir…the power would be out for two minutes isn't that kind of dangerous…."

"I don't care…do it."

Raines hung up and put the phone back in his pocket and aimed a half-hearted kick at Broots on the floor.  

"What are you still doing here?" he snapped at the sweeper, "Get someone to open this door."

To be continued….


	7. Chapter Seven

Okay here are the next two chapters back to back!  This is the end…I hope you like it but even if you don't I hope I get some reviews so I'll know how to make my next story even better!

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_None of the characters or places belong to me, someone else owns them, I ain't making any money out of this!_

**In my Mind**

By Happy Camper

Chapter Seven 

"Clear!"

Nothing.  Jarod was panicing.  If they couldn't get her back it would be his fault.  Come on Parker, come on, he desperately thought to himself as he reset the defribulator.

"Clear"

Jarod put the paddles against Miss Parker's skin, waiting for it to charge.  Then the lights flickered and died…the power was off.

"Sydney!  The power!"  Sydney looked at him, wide eyed.

"Jarod what do we do?"  

"There's no battery on this one…."  Said Jarod hopelessley staring at the useless paddles in his hands.  _Think, think!  Was there another battery-powered defibrulator in the infirmary?  _Jarod put the paddles back and started CPR again.  

"Sydney…go find the poratable defibrulator…there must be one somewhere."  Sydney hurried off as Jarod tried to get Miss Parker back.

*****

"Sir, the um…janitor is coming with a screwdriver to take the hinges off."  Raines nodded angrily…this was taking too long.  Why couldn't they just break the door down?  But it was a _heavy_ door; the sweeper had almost dislocated his shoulder already against it.  The nurse that was supposed to be on duty had woken up and had said something about being summoned on an emergency.  She couldn't remember anything else.  Raines had a feeling about who was in the infirmary…Sydney.  Raines also had a feeling that Jarod was there too.

A smile crept across his face as he imagined catching Jarod trying to save Miss Parker.  If he caught Jarod with Sydney then he could get Mr. Parker to hand Jarod over to him.  Raines smile grew to a grin.  

Broots stirred.  Someone had put him in the corner, against the wall.  He was frightened for a moment…disorientated.  _Where am I?, _he thought as his eyes came into focus.  He nearly fainted again when he opened his eyes and found Raines standing over him.

"So…you're finally awake…and no doubt you know what your collegues are doing on the other side of this door."

"I…I…."

"Shut up."Raines snapped.  Broots stopped imediateley, sitting up and pushing himself further into the corner.  Raines continued, "Miss Parker's gone you can't save her.  Let me guess, they're using the girl…and I thought Jarod was a genius…he's in there isn't he?"

*****

"Jarod…I found this at the nurses station."  Said Sydney, putting the Emergency medical bag on the floor.  It was the kind of large padded bag that the Centre doctors would take to emergencies; hopefully it was big enough to hold a small portable defibrulator.  Jarod was still trying to pump life into Miss Parker, he glanced at his watch…1 minute…there was still time.  Sydney ripped open the Velcro….

"Jarod…I've got it!" cried Sydney pulling out the small portable unit.  Jarod grabbed the paddles and set the dial.

"Clear!"

Nothing.

*****

The last screw dropped to the floor and the hinge fell off.  The swing doors didn't have handles so they fell with an incredibly loud crash.  Raines pushed the janitor out of the way.  Broots stood for a moment and when the sweeper next to him followed Raines through the doorway, decided that it was okay to go too.

As they entered the infirmary, the lights all flickered back on.  Raines phone barely rang before he snatched it up and answered it.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"It's Sydney and Jarod sir…they're trying to resuscitate Miss Parker."

"Where?"

"Main ER, down the hall."

Raines hung up and marched swiftly down the corridor.

*****

Jarod could feel tears running down his face.

"Clear!"

Nothing.

"Jarod!…Jarod…did you hear something?"

"Clear!"

Nothing

"Jarod I just heard a crash in the hallway…did you hear it?"

"No Sydney just another minute…Clear!"

"Jarod I hear a voice…."  Sydney's voice died away as they both heard the sound of the steady bleep…bleep of the heart monitor.  Jarod looked up…smiling with tears running down his face.

"I knew it Syd…I knew it…what was that?"

"It sounds like Raines", whispered Sydney, "Jarod…we have to go…she'll be okay."  Sydney grabbed his arm and dragged him away from Parker…and away from Raines.

And now on to chapter 8 and the conclusion….


	8. Chapter Eight

_None of the characters or places belong to me, someone else owns them, I ain't making any money out of this!_

**In my Mind**

By Happy Camper

Chapter Eight 

"Hey Broots…miss me?"

"Miss Parker!"  Broots jumped up and ran to her…just stopping short of hugging her.

"Um…would it be okay if I…gave you a hug?"

"Broots…what happened while I was in the infirmary to make you even _think_ that I would let you _touch_ me?"

"I take it you're okay then?"  Sydney said from the doorway.

"Yeah Syd…but um…they don't know what was wrong with me…I'm okay now though."

"Miss Parker…I think we need to explain what happened while you were unconscious."

*****

Jarod was far away…after he and Sydney had gotten far enough away he had sent Sydney back.  Once Broots deleted any footage of them in the infirmary, there was no reason for Sydney not to go back.

Sydney had called.  Raines was furious…he'd arrived too late to find them…he had no proof of their involvement.  Jarod smiled to himself…everything was okay…they had destroyed that thing.  The life support machine had shut down when the power had been turned off.  

The little girl was dead but it was only her body, she had been dead long before that.  Maybe someday Miss Parker would say thank you but Jarod doubted that very much.

*****

_I don't want to talk about it_, but she did want to listen as Sydney told her.  She had shivered when she'd heard about her own death.  

"Everything's okay right?…I mean you killed that thing."

"Yes," replied Sydney, "The girl's life support went off.  Jarod believes that because of the extent of the damage to the girl's brain that this thing could not have travelled to another person.  Anyway…Jarod says there has to be eye contact."

Miss Parker gave a faint nod and looked down.  _No there doesn't_, she thought.

"Look, this thing…it's…smart…it's not just something…what I mean is…it's conscious…I was fighting with it…I just…I knew I couldn't let it win.  It was trying to controll me.  I just…I'm glad it's gone…it was full of pain and…anger…."  She stopped as Broots walked in…two cups of fresh coffee in his hands.

"Hey what'd I miss?"

"Nothing Broots."  And she wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye.

*****

"Sir…my report."  The technician handed Raines a folder and he took it…a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.  The technician left him alone.

They had saved Miss Parker…and Raines would so have loved her to have developed a brain tumour_.  Then I could have personally carried out the autopsy_, he thought wickedly.  They thought they had destroyed it but he had heard one of the doctors complaining.  One of the subjects in the infirmary, broken arm or something, had entered a catatonic state.  A smile grew on his face.  They thought that it was stupid…that it would enter the brain-dead girl.  It was once an accident…but a happy accident once he realised its potential…to control and one day he would be able to control anyone with even the tiniest bit of psychic power.  They didn't know the things he had done to create this thing…his own personal project that the Centre would never know about.

_Never underestimate me. Never underestimate what I am capable of.   I create, I create power and someday I will controll it and when that day comes I'm sending it after you Miss Parker._

The End

I know that it's not what a lot of you were expecting but I hope that you enjoyed it anyway!  I'll probably be writing a new story soon and I hope everyone checks it out!


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